Urban Forestry Program

ABOUT THE URBAN FOREST PROGRAM

The Parks and Recreation Department has a dedicated five-member Urban Forestry team, including two certified Arborists, who perform year-round tree maintenance across city parks and trails.

The team is involved in conducting tree surveys across Irving, hosting tree planting events with Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) and volunteers, as well as maintain the city's Tree Farm. This year, KIB and the city's Urban Forestry group planted 89 native trees around Irving.

During the surveys, the team identifies trees that require trimming, as well as any unhealthy trees that are rotting/diseased, dying or may have a high-risk of injury to visitors. In the event a tree is removed, the team replants a new tree from Irving's Tree Farm.

Irving's Tree Farm

The city's Tree Farm is located on the Mountain Creek Preserve, between Nursery and Hunter Ferrell Road, and is home to an estimated 406 trees. The species of trees range from small ornamental trees like redbud to cedar elm and a variety of oak trees (red oak, bur oak and lacey oak). Once the trees are grown, the stock is then replanted to replace diseased or dying trees in Irving parks or along the trail system. Since 2019, the team has planted 2,995 new trees.

Tree Board

In 2009, the city approved the establishment of the city's Tree Board. The board consists of 9 members. The board also assisted the Parks and Recreation Department in creating Irving's Tree Guide. The duties and responsibilities of its members include:

• Promote protection of healthy trees, preservation  of native trees.
• Provide guidelines for replacing and replanting trees in parks and public property.
• Review specific beautification projects and public awareness programs to the Parks and Recreation Department.
• Assist in coordinating Arbor Day events and develop annual application to renew Tree City USA Program.

Tree City USA Program

City of Irving was officially named a Tree City USA designation in 2009. As a result the city conducts annual observances, community forestry education programs, and other initiatives that promote environmental sustainability are ongoing in Irving.